Playoffs or not, I would highly consider trading 40, 55, and 93 if you can. They're only going to get older and slower moving forward, unfortunately. Move them while they still have value. Decide between 14 and 21, one stays one gets moved. Sign 35 to no more than 2 years. DO SOMETHING DRASTIC..in a good way.

There are some bad GMs in this league, but I don't think any of them are dumb enough to touch Franzen's contract. And I think trading Z and Kronner is a little excessive with all the promising prospects that could help turn this team back into cup contenders around in 3 or 4 years. I would have loved to see them trade Flip, Q, and White and waive Cleary, get some picks maybe a prospect or two, and see what you really have in Tatar, Nyquist, and DeKeyser. Instead, now you get to watch Flip and White walk out the door for free this summer, and if you don't buy out Franzen and hopefully Samuelsson if he isn't injured, you'll probably end up having to waive Tatar or Nyquist (hopefully they'd waive the right guy this time, not like with Meech and Quincey 4 years ago). You can't keep letting talent walk away for free and still expect to be good, but sadly that's been the Red Wings M.O. since the 2009 cup loss.

In around 3 or 4 years our top stars will be between 35-38 years old. I just feel as though the time is now to make a move with these players. Its most definitely high risk high reward, but whats worse than watching these players age and decay while the league continues to stampede forward? What happens when their point production drops down to 3rd and 4th line average numbers in the next few years? Guys like Flip, Cleary, Emmerton, Sammy, Eaves, Miller, Quincey, White...THEY HAVE NO TRADE VALUE. NONE! Zetterberg and Kronwall in a package deal could land multiple draft picks, multiple young top forwards and defensmen. Blow up the core, build a better one.

How can you motivate players that have already won cups, gold medals, and Conn Smythe awards? I love these players as much as the next Wing fan, but their best years are all behind them. Z and Dats won't benefit from playing with any of the players we have in the minors or else they would have already been playing with them. And won't it suck watching Datsyuk leave without getting any sort of compensation? Good players benefit from playing with good players. And outside of our underachieving core, we have no impact players players. The core is losing a step every season and they are struggling now without any support. Imagine how they will look in 2-3 years if no help is brought in to take over the workload? Good players don't spend half their 20's in the minors over ripening, which leads me to believe that there isn't much high end talent coming through our pipe line in terms of offense. Sometimes you gotta trade away what you have, to get more of what you need and moving forward it seems like they need a lot more than what they have.

I tend to think it would actually be BETTER in the long run were this team to miss the postseason, the record be damned. Missing the postseason means that heads would actually roll for a change. I think. Maybe.

I don't disagree with this. It'd be heartbreaking not to have an NHL playoffs without the Wings, but I think if they make the playoffs, Holland will be able to spin it about how good this team is and how much depth they have and what a great decision it was not to make trades at the deadline, etc.

The Blues are about the bounce the Wings down to 8th, they're 1 point behind with two games in hand. Good thing we play them on Sunday, then. Big game at stake.

Also breathing down the Wings' necks...

EDM (no games against remaining)
CBJ (no games against remaining)
PHX (game against on 4/22)
NSH (game against on 4/14 and 4/25)

I'm not liking this at all.

Here's the thing about that though. They all play one another multiple times. They will knock each other out the Wings have to get at least 13 points in their final 12 games. Shouldn't be too difficult

Here's the thing about that though. They all play one another multiple times. They will knock each other out the Wings have to get at least 13 points in their final 12 games. Shouldn't be too difficult

You have to factor in three point games though too.

If the Wings lose a game, even if Edmonton and Columbus play each other that same night it's possible they can both gain ground on Detroit.

I tend to think it would actually be BETTER in the long run were this team to miss the postseason, the record be damned. Missing the postseason means that heads would actually roll for a change. I think. Maybe.

For some of us, it's not so much rooting against our team as being ok with them missing the playoffs for the greater good of the team. Getting a higher pick in not just the 1st round, but for the other 6 as well would do us some good. Getting a top 10-15 pick could be huge this year, and then 40-45 instead of the usual 25 and 55.

I sometimes hope my children fail at things so they can realize the path they are taking is not going to lead to long term success. I also hold out hope that I am wrong. I hope I am wrong about the direction the Wings are headed, but it is hard for me to see them trending any direction than down right now. This trend has been going on since they lost to the Pens in the Cup finals without any discernable plan to change the trend. Like I said...hope I am wrong

For some of us, it's not so much rooting against our team as being ok with them missing the playoffs for the greater good of the team. Getting a higher pick in not just the 1st round, but for the other 6 as well would do us some good. Getting a top 10-15 pick could be huge this year, and then 40-45 instead of the usual 25 and 55.

That is just silly. The difference in drafting between 16th and 17th is not going to be huge. We should always prefer success now to potential success...maybe....in a few years...if we draft the right guy.

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It will be exciting! We get to see how our young guys and new leadership respond to this type of adversity.

Detroit Red Masochists.

"If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as possibility!" - Kierkegaard

I sometimes hope my children fail at things so they can realize the path they are taking is not going to lead to long term success. I also hold out hope that I am wrong. I hope I am wrong about the direction the Wings are headed, but it is hard for me to see them trending any direction than down right now. This trend has been going on since they lost to the Pens in the Cup finals without any discernable plan to change the trend. Like I said...hope I am wrong

You are wrong. At the mid point of the season last year they were #1 in the entire league. But that fact doesn't fit your story. Carry on...

I tend to think it would actually be BETTER in the long run were this team to miss the postseason, the record be damned. Missing the postseason means that heads would actually roll for a change. I think. Maybe.

I tend to agree.

But, like zombo said, Holland would just blame it on injuries.

You are wrong. At the mid point of the season last year they were #1 in the entire league. But that fact doesn't fit your story. Carry on...

"If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as possibility!" - Kierkegaard

Playoffs or not, I would highly consider trading 40, 55, and 93 if you can. They're only going to get older and slower moving forward, unfortunately. Move them while they still have value. Decide between 14 and 21, one stays one gets moved. Sign 35 to no more than 2 years. DO SOMETHING DRASTIC..in a good way.

WAAAAIIIIIT a second..... So you're trying to tell me that players actually get older with the passing of time? If its only those three players who are going to get older, does that mean everyone else stays the same age? Or even get younger?! Can't wait!